Invictus
by SarahTee
Summary: Sometimes in life all we can do is keep going, keep hoping, keep trying...but how far can one man push himself?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, own nothing. If I owned anything this fic would be unnecessary, because Doomsday would never have happened.

Timeline: Immediately post Doomsday - just after the beach scene.

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His hearts fell to pieces even as he refused to accept that she was really gone. He denied the wetness on his cheeks – he wasn't crying, because that would mean it was real. That would mean he might not be able to fix this.

He had run out of time – his hearts broke just that little bit more at the thought of what he hadn't said, at the thought that he had wasted time with meaningless words like "quite right, too". Her name lingered on his tongue, it's sweetness turning bitter as he thought of the words which now may never follow it.

With a breath he steadied himself, and slowly a look of resolve settled over his face, still streaked with his silent tears. He walked determinedly over to the console and began setting the controls.

It was simple logic really, that had spurred him to action. He had said it himself, hadn't he? It was completely impossible for him to reach her. Which made it the one thing (other than attracting trouble) he truly excelled at.

No, this was not the end, this was just a blip.

_'Out of the night that covers me,_

_Black as the Pit from pole to pole,_

_I thank whatever gods may be_

_For my unconquerable soul.'_

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A/N: This is just a prologue to see if anyone's interested. If I get reviews you get more chapters, and longer too - so Review! (Pwetty Pwease? lol). The quote at the end is the first verse of a favourite poem of mine, Invictus, by Willan Ernest Henley. 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, own nothing. If I owned anything this fic would be unnecessary, because Doomsday would never have happened.

A/N: Forgot to mention last time, but Runaway Bride and Season 3 didn't happen. Also, thanks to Moonflower '93 and Renegade.Ranger for reviewing!

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It had been three weeks since he had piloted the Tardis into the time vortex, knowing that here, at least, he would be undisturbed. Three long weeks of nothing but a silent Tardis, a cruel reminder of what he had lost 'for the greater good' this time. Three weeks of nothing, until... 

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"There has to be something...some way!" He slammed his balled fists against the books strewn in front of him, his voice echoing around the huge library. They littered every available surface, open to various pages, and all shared one common factor – the Void and alternate realities.

He reached up and ran a hand through his hair. So many different authors had so many differing opinions, and yet there was one common point throughout – they all agreed absolutely that he had no options open to him, nothing even slightly less than universally destructive would get him to Rose.

"I can't do this without her..." his voice was soft, barely a whisper. He had taken to talking almost constantly - to himself, to the Tardis, he wasn't even sure - in an attempt to stave off the silence her absence left. _"There's no way through..."_

The rogue desolate thought popped into his mind before he could stop it, and then steadfastly refused to leave. He tried once more to focus on the pages in front of him, but his eyes would drift, and the thought, that tiny slither of despair, grew steadily until he couldn't bear it. Standing suddenly, he flew into a rage and swept the table clear of books.

"No!!!!!" His voice was thick with anger and despair. "Oh Rose, my Rose, I can't get through...I don't..."

He froze suddenly. His mind raced. His hearts pounded loudly in his chest, his pulse throbbing in his ears. Slowly but surely his expression began to change – his swirling, stormy eyes regained their sparkle, and his lips curled slowly until he grinning so widely his face looked like it would split.

"Of course! Genius! Absolute genius!" He raced wildly from the library, grin fixed firmly in place. "Don't know why I didn't think of it before! It's perfect! So simple!"

"I always knew knowing so much would cause me problems one day old friend," he informed the Tardis brightly as he began working on the computer at the main console. "So used to knowing the answer that it never occurred to me to just find a way round the problem! I can't go between universes through the Void, it's just to dangerous. No, what I need to do, what I should have realised straight away – must be slipping in my old age! - I just go back in time to before the two realities ever split. All I need to do then is find some way to draw myself forward along the other reality's timeline! Take the other fork in the road, so to speak!"

He took off running again, down a long corridor towards the bright pink door that had, for the last two weeks been hidden from him, no matter how hard he'd searched. The Tardis had, it seemed, taken exception to his wasting time indulging in his grief, when he should have been trying to find Rose.

He burst through the door, and stopped for the briefest of moments as his breath caught in his throat, his whole body tensing as the now-familiar pain engulfed him. Shaking it off, he grabbed the hairbrush from the dressing table, turned, and ran back the way he came.

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Fours hours later it was ready...

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A/N 2: I know I said the chapters would get longer, and they will, but it seemed like a good place to end this one since the next bit is gonna be long and I wanted to update already lol...Please let me know what you think of my characterisation of the Doctor...did I get him right? Or if not can anyone give me some tips? Anyway, keep reading, and reviewing! I'll update in the next few days hopefully :-) hugs xx 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, own nothing. If I owned anything this fic would be unnecessary, because Doomsday would never have happened.

A/N: over 160 hits, and only 2 reviews? be nice people...I'm even updating daily at the mo, if you want it to keep up then help motivate me!

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Four hours later it was ready..._

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After much deliberation he had decided that the best way to make sure he found a point in time before the universes had split was to go back to the very beginning...

"As far back as you can take us old girl – there! That should do nicely," he grinned as he set the last switch to complete the co-ordinate set. "Here we go!"

...the very beginning of Earth that is – just after the planet's formation. _'After all,'_ he thought brightly, _'I need somewhere to land, and this is one event they've definitely got in common – can't have split yet!'_

Once he'd landed in a relatively safe spot on the newly-born planet, he opened a panel in the console and disconnected a few wires from the navigation circuit. Reaching into his pocket he drew out a rather outlandish looking contraption, all wires and metal, with a tiny piece of hair at its centre. He attached various wires and connectors, stowed it safely in the console, and replaced the panel. He reviewed his plan one last time, as if asking the Tardis' opinion before he took the final step.

"Right, we know what date we're aiming for, and I've bypassed the directional circuit with the DNA identifier and tracker. So, if I've got it right – and we both know I have, I think – then you should be able to find Rose's genetic signature from the hair and lock on to it, drawing us to her in Pete's world not long after Bad Wolf Bay..."

He swallowed sharply, and shook off the emotions that welled up at the painful memory. _'Now's really not the time, it'll all be good and right again soon!'_ he chastised himself, _'get on with it!'_

"Right then, here we go!" Quick as lightning he jumped around the console setting the controls, and with only a hint of trepidation he threw the final lever.

The Tardis dematerialised smoothly, and the Doctor began to think it would be an easy flight, but as the date counter on the console reached the mid-1800s the Tardis began to shake violently, and the Doctor barely grabbed the console in time to hold himself upright. It subsided after a few seconds, but just as the Doctor began to relax it happened again. He glanced at the date counter again as he held on – early-1900s this time. As they kept going the bursts of turbulence got more and more violent and frequent, until finally he was thrown roughly and painfully to the grill flooring.

"Hold on old girl...we're nearly there! It's the splits...every time there's a fork in the timeline we're getting further from home – but we're nearly there now, just a little bit further!"

Finally the Tardis settled down, and the Doctor jumped swiftly to his feet, wincing a little as his body protested at it's recent rough treatment. His head pounded - had he hit it when he fell? – as he quickly checked the date. A month and a half after Bad Wolf Bay – _'not bad considering my usual accuracy!'_ he grinned wildly. He almost couldn't believe he'd done it – he walked slowly to the door, his grin slowly disappearing, replaced with a look of terror and trepidation – What would he find out there?

Closing his eyes, he reached for the door handle slowly but determinedly. He turned it and felt the door open, felt the sunlight on his face. He tilted his head to the sky, and finally – taking a deep breath to brace himself – he opened his eyes.

A bright blue, clear sky greeted him, and his hearts fell at it's emptiness. He began to shake his head in disbelief – _'How did it go wrong?! It should have worked! It should have worked...' - _when a sound made him freeze. A loud thrumming in the near distance.

He stepped out of the Tardis and turned to look. He had landed slightly outside of London, and in the distance behind the Tardis he could see the sprawling city, but more than that. Above it was the most fantastic thing...

Zeppelins! Dozens of them, flying slowly over the city, the onehe'd heard headed lazily in his direction.

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A/N 2: He made it! Or did he...? Review to find out what happens next - I'm with-holding the next chapter until I get at least 5 more reviews, it really doesn't take two seconds to leave a review, just point your mouse over the pretty little button and click! Pwease? Hugs xx 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, own nothing. If I owned anything this fic would be unnecessary, because Doomsday would never have happened.

A/N: Sorry this one took a bit longer, but it's longer than the last three, so hopefully that makes up for it :-) Thanx for reviews go to: Renegade.Ranger, Moonflower '93, Hawkstra, Horsemaniac, and the last TimeLord - keep reading and reviewing!

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_He stepped out of the Tardis and turned to look. He had landed slightly outside of London, and in the distance behind the Tardis he could see the sprawling city, but more than that. Above it was the most fantastic thing..._

_Zeppelins! Dozens of them, flying slowly over the city, the one he'd heard headed lazily in his direction._

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He quickly ran back inside and grabbed his coat, shrugging it on as he made his way back out. Locking the Tardis swiftly he then took off at a run for the city.

Once he reached the outskirts he began casting his eyes about for a taxi. Something niggled faintly at the back of his mind, but he pushed it quickly aside as he spotted an idling taxi over the road. He raced over and jumped in, quickly giving the driver the address.

His mind spun as he allowed himself to wonder what would happen when he arrived. He winced slightly as he envisioned Jackie's inevitable reaction, his hand reaching up to rub his jaw. He was here to take her daughter away – this one was really going to smart. _'But it'll be worth it!' _he thought smilingly.

As he poured over the different scenarios and reactions he barely noticed the world passing him by outside the taxi.

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They pulled up outside the mansion about half an hour later, and the Doctor was brought back to reality by the deep, scratchy voice of the taxi driver asking for his money.

He quickly reached into his pocket and drew out a note much larger than the necessary, and told the driver he could keep the change as he quickly stepped out of the taxi. The driver sped off before the generous but obviously mad stranger could change his mind.

The Doctor turned to the large imposing gates and frowned a little as he noticed the padlock holding them shut. _'Well, that's hardly practical now, is it?'_ The security booth next to the gates was dark and empty. The strange niggling feeling was back again, but once again he shoved it aside. Drawing out his sonic screwdriver he made short work of the locked gates.

As he walked up the long driveway he glanced around curiously. _'Looks like someone needs to have words with the gardener...it's completely over-grown!'_

Finally he reached the house, and rang the door bell. Then he rang it again, just to make sure they heard. After ten minutes he decided that actually, maybe no-one was home. He began to wonder just where they could all be – after all, Pete had staff didn't he? Surely someone should be here. When it began to rain he finally decided he'd waited long enough.

Bringing out his sonic screwdriver again he quickly let himself in, and locked the door behind him. Turning, he frowned. The vast entryway looked..._wrong_ somehow – too big, too vast, too...

"Empty..." his softly spoken word echoed harshly through the house. He quickly raced from room to room, each one confirming his suspicions – the whole house was empty. It all made a little more sense now – the untended gardens, chained gates, empty security booth...

Despair at not finding her threatened, but he quickly shook it off, and stirred himself to action. He left the house, locking the door behind him, and made his way down the drive. He slipped out through the gates, and re-chained them securely behind him. His taxi was long gone, so he took off down the road at a run, this time casting his eyes about for someone, anyone, who might be able to tell him where they'd gone.

He stopped a young man out walking his dog a few minutes later.

"Hi, terribly sorry to bother you, but do you live around here? Do you know how long the Tyler mansion's been empty? Or where they moved to?"

The man looked a little bewildered by the stranger's odd manner and rapid questioning. "I'm sorry, I'm new to the neighbourhood, don't know any Tylers though."

The Doctor watched the man walk off, then took off again. After about five minutes he saw a news-stand, and decided to double check he'd got the right date.He quickly purchased a paper, and glanced at the front.

"Okay, right date, so what's going on? Why'd they move?" he muttered quietly to himself as he quickly scanned the rest of the paper looking for any clues. Nothing even remotely strange had happened lately

Running a hand through his hair, he dropped the paper in a nearby bin. _'What now? Didn't occur to me that they'd move house, did it? Now how do I find her?'_

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He wandered around for a while, trying to come up with a plan. He discarded dozens before he finally lit on a vaguely workable one, and quickly made his way to a small internet cafe. He paid what he thought was quite probably an extortionate amount of money for half an hour of internet usage, and went to find an empty terminal.

Wasting no time at all, he found a web-site which allowed you to browse through the electoral register of London (again, for an extortionate fee, but a little discrete zap with the sonic screwdriver convinced the company's own computers that it had already been paid in full).

To say he was a little bewildered when a search for the name Tyler brought up no results would be to understate the matter. Had they moved out of London then? He decided on a whim to try and find Mickey, since he wouldn't necessarily have gone with them. _'I wonder how many M Smiths there are in london? Or R Smiths for that matter – I wonder which he's going by these days?'_

Twenty three minutes later the Doctor left the little cafe, his hand clutching a list of the ten most-likely-to-be-Mickey Smiths. _'Time for the 'domestic' touch,' _he thought with a slight grimace – he had to go door-to-door now.

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_'Seven down, three to go,'_ he thought, slightly discouraged by his so far apparently rotten luck. He hopped back into the taxi he had found, and gave him the next address.

"No luck here either mate? Who're you looking for anyways?"

"An old friend – well, an old friend of an old friend really, I suppose... Never did get on to well with Mickey myself, but I'm hoping he'll know where my friend's moved to – If I ever find him that is."

They drove on in silence for about fifteen or twenty minutes, then slowed to a stop on a quiet looking street with white picket-fenced gardens.

"Well, here we are anyway, 47 Warwick Avenue, maybe this'll be the one, heh?"

"Maybe..." the Doctor replied faintly, climbing out of the taxi. He had gotten no-where so far, and far from feeling energetic and excited, he now felt morose and fed-up – utterly fed-up.

He walked up the small path to the front door, noting the pretty plants in over-sized pots framing the front door – he very quickly resigned himself to being disappointed again. Mickey had never exactly struck him as the garden ornament type. _'Still, best to check and all that...' _he thought as he reached up and rang the doorbell.

Within a few moments the door was opening, and the Doctor quickly pasted a smile across his face and looked up ready to explain that, sorry, he seemed to have gotten the wrong house.

The words froze in his throat as he saw Mickey standing there expectantly.

"Rickey my boy! Good to s..."

"It's Mickey, actually. Can I help you?"

The Doctor was thrown off-guard slightly...sure he knew Mickey hated him getting his name wrong – that _was_ why he did it so often, after all – but he didn't sound annoyed. He didn't sound happy to see him, didn't sound angry, didn't sound anything really, other than vaguely polite. He had to know why the Doctor had come, so why didn't he seem to care?

Before the Doctor could reply another voice rang out from within the house.

"Mickey honey, who is it?"

The voice made all the blood drain from the Doctor's face, leaving him pale as a ghost. Before he had even fully processed what he'd heard and what it meant, a figure moved into sight in the hall behind Mickey.

Rose, complete with a young baby sat squarely on her right hip, looked at him blankly, before repeating – the Doctor quickly glanced at their hands – her _husband's_ question.

His brain shut down, not quite able to comprehend what was happening. He began to step backwards, trying to get away from this terrible scene, when the Earth literally fell away beneath his feet as he tripped over a discarded umbrella on the porch, and he felt a dull thud as his head collided heavily with one of the over-sized ceramic pots he'd spotted on his way there. Before he lost conciousness one final thought flicked through his mind.

_'Well, certainly didn't see this one coming...'_

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A/N 2: Okay, so the Doctor didn't see it coming, did any of you? As always, review to read more! Hugs xx


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